comics

Steve Ditko, the artist who helped create legendary Marvel comic book characters Spider-Man and Doctor Strange with Stan Lee, was found dead in his New York apartment on June 29, Variety reported Friday. He was 90.

Marvel President Dan Buckley said in a statement that "the Marvel family mourns the loss" of Ditko, CNN reported.

"Steve transformed the industry and the Marvel Universe, and his legacy will never be forgotten," Buckley said. "Our thoughts are with his family, loved ones, and fans during this sad time."

Ditko’s love for comic book superheroes was born during his stint in the military after he graduated from high school in 1945, when he drew comic strips for Army-syndicated newspapers, Variety reported.

After he was discharged, Ditko studied under Batman artist in 1950. Through Robinson, he met Lee, who was Marvel Comics’ editor-in-chief. Ditko helped create the Spider-Man persona in 1961, including his costume and web shooters, Variety said.

Spider-Man debuted in Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1962, and a year later Marvel launched “Amazing Spider-Man,” the character’s first standalone series, with Ditko and Lee handling the illustrations, Variety reported.

Ditko helped create Spider-Man characters as Doctor Octopus, Sandman, the Lizard and Green Goblin, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Beginning with issue No. 25, Ditko received a plot credit in addition to his artist credit. His final work in the Spider-Man series appeared in issue No. 38, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Doctor Strange also debuted in 1963, appearing in Strange Tales No. 110, Ditko worked on the comic book series through July 1966.

Ditko left Marvel shortly thereafter after some disagreements with Lee. He moved to DC Comics in 1968 and created the Creeper, a villain in the Batman comic series, Variety reported.

Among his last characters was cult favorite Squirrel Girl, which debuted in 1992, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

John Melendez, a longtime personality on Howard Stern’s radio show, apparently posed as Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). Melendez left his cellphone number with the White House switchboard and duped several aides -- including the President’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner -- the New York Post reported.

“Hi, Bob. How are you? Congratulations on everything, we’re proud of you. Congratulations, you’re doing a great job,” Trump is heard saying in a podcast Melendez recorded Wednesday and then posted online Thursday.

One hour into the podcast, Melendez is heard speaking to Trump about his immigration policy and his upcoming pick for the vacant post in the U.S. Supreme Court.

“I am shocked ... I mean we did this as a goof, I'm a comedian," Melendez told CNN. “I just could not believe that it took us an hour and a half to get Jared Kushner and Donald Trump on the phone from Air Force One.

"All they had to ask me is what party affiliation is Sen. Menendez, or what state is he a senator of, and I would not have known. But they didn't ask me any of this.”

“Believe me, if it was that easy to dupe him, there’s every chance in the world (Russian President Vladimir) Putin duped him,” Melendez told the Huffington Post, which reported that it could not independently confirm that Trump was the person speaking on the podcast.

Politico, citing a source in the White House, said the administration “has been scrambling” to “figure out how this happened.”

Melendez said he gave his cellphone number to the White House switchboard but it has a Southern California prefix. An operator told the comedian the number did not match White House records for Menendez, the Post reported. Melendez said he was on vacation and was using a different phone, the newspaper reported.

“You went through a tough, tough situation — and I don’t think a very fair situation — but congratulations,” Trump is heard on the podcast.

"The President wants to be accessible to members and likes engaging them and wants them to have the opportunity to connect. The downside of that is sometimes the channels are open too widely and mistakes like this happen," a White House official said, CNN reported.

Menendez was indicted on bribery and corruption charges in 2015. He issued a statement saying he would appreciate a real conversation with the President.

“As someone who has spent my entire career trying to convince Republicans to join me in reforming our nation’s broken immigration system, I welcome any opportunity to have a real conversation with the President on how to uphold the American values that guided our family-based immigration policy for the past century,” Menendez said in the statement. “Tearing children apart from their mothers is not part of our proud history. Thus far, this White House has only sabotaged every good-faith effort to find bipartisan common ground on immigration.”

Iron Man, Thor, Supergirl, Snow White and Captain America were among the comic book heroes shopping for kids Sunday night at the Target in Mission, Kansas, The Kansas City Star reported.

Armed with $17,000 in donations collected by Elite Comics in Overland Park, the superheroes picked out toys that will be given to kids staying at Children's’ Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, the Star reported.

“It means a lot,” said Captain America, also known as Jerry Holtorf of Overland Park.

Holtorf’s parents battled cancer. In his trips to the hospital, he said he saw children in their own fights against the disease. He wanted to help make the kids’ Christmas a happier time.

“Cancer doesn’t discriminate in age,” Holtorf said. “What (my parents) were going through in their room, a 6- or 7-year-old was going through in the next room and it breaks your heart.”

The caped crusaders summoned a rental trailer to cart away their packages, bound for children in the hospital. And if anyone wants to join the crusade, there are still opportunities ahead.

“We’re not done,” said Elite Comics owner William Binderup, who added that he will be accepting new, unwrapped toys through Dec. 22.

Jean Schulz fled her hillside home, which was built in the mid-1970s, about 2 a.m. Monday, her stepson, Monte Schulz, told the Mercury News.

“She is very resilient,” he told the Mercury News. “She is energetic and pragmatic and very tough.”

Jean Schulz is president of the board of directors for the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center built in Santa Rosa two years after the cartoonist’s death in February 2000. Most of his collection of original comic strips, artwork and memorabilia featuring characters Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts Gang, is housed at the museum, which was untouched by the fire.

“But there were a lot of Peanuts things in the house,” Monte Schulz told the Mercury News.

The fire affected other members of the Schulz family, the Mercury News reported. Monte’s brother, Craig Schulz, who lives in Santa Rosa with his family, also lost his house in the fire.

“It’s sad. It’s erased,” Monte Schulz said of his father’s house. “Everything that was in there, every connection we had to dad vis-a-vis that house, is gone now.”

Before Charles Schulz’s death at age 77, the Peanuts comic strip appeared in 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries.

It will be called “Nightmare Before Christmas: Zero’s Journey” and will be about Jack’s dog Zero and his adventure in Christmastown.

It will be produced as a full-color series released to comic stores, then will be combined into two formats: full-color trade paperback and a black and white pocket-sized version, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

“I am thrilled that Hasan will serve as our featured entertainer at this year’s White House Correspondent’s Dinner,” WHCA president and Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason said in a statement released on Twitter.

“Hasan’s smarts, big heart and passion for press freedom make him the perfect fit for our event, which will be focused on the First Amendment and the importance of a robust and independent media.”

Presidents have been attending the annual gala for decades, but President Donald Trump has announced he won’t be participating this year.

According to the Post, "several of the mazes will feature political slogans, such as 'Snoopy for Prez'" in honor of the upcoming presidential election.

Guests also will get a chance to watch the iconic "Great Pumpkin" special, first broadcast in 1966, at the farms. (And if you can't make it to one of the farms, don't fret: The special airs at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday on ABC.)